


The Inquisition Needs Friends

by caitirin



Series: The Chronicles of Teithranen Lavellan: Plant-Obsessed Soft-Hearted Inquisitor [1]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Awesome Varric Tethras, Creative Problem Solving, Friendship, Gen, Haven (Dragon Age), Ice Magic, Panic Attacks, Soft-hearted inquisitors, Varric Tethras is a Good Friend, being the herald of andraste is hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-19 03:29:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14865758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caitirin/pseuds/caitirin
Summary: Teithranen Lavellan was living a nightmare.  First all that crap with the Fade and the Conclave exploding, waking up in bonds with that horrifying mark on his hand that kept sending searing shocks through his arm.It seems like only yesterday that he was just a Dalish elf, and now it seems like the world rests on his shoulders.  He needs a friend right now more than ever.Thank the Maker for Varric Tethras.





	The Inquisition Needs Friends

**Author's Note:**

> My Inquisitor's name is Teithranen Lavellan (Tei).

Teithranen Lavellan was living a nightmare.  First all that crap with the Fade and the Conclave exploding, waking up in bonds with that horrifying mark on his hand that kept sending searing shocks through his arm.  And then seeing the Temple of Sacred Ashes and fighting that enormous demon and having the mark on his hand sort of close the rift, but not all the way. And it hurt like nothing he’d ever felt before in his entire life.  He had broken an arm as a child and he could remember that flashpoint of pain when the bone had cracked. Sealing a rift sort of felt like that, only it lasted a lot longer.

And then he’d blacked out and woken up in Haven again.  Only this time not in chains, but in a strange bed in strange clothing not his own.  And a terrified elven child had run from him, calling him strange things like “Your Worship.”  

But really, all of that paled in comparison to the utter terror that he’d felt when he stepped outside and found a whole host of people kneeling and bowing and saluting him.  He’d taken one step outside, turned immediately around and run back into the building and closed the door. Chains and humans being angry, those weren’t all that strange. Shemlen seemed to carry a universal suspicion for “knife ears.”  Not all of them were horrible, but you always merited a second glance. Especially when you had Vallaslin on your face and actually dared to look them in the eye.

But this, bowing and fear and... reverence.  That was terrifying and completely foreign.

He got through the conversations with Cassandra and the rest, his erstwhile jailors now turned supporters (and wasn’t that enough to set his head spinning) and then fled the chantry.  The urge to simply start running and never stop was only really tempered by the fact that his hand and arm pulsed uncomfortably often enough to remind him that it didn’t matter how far he ran, the Breach would eventually catch up with him.  He curled his fingers closed over his glowing palm and hugged his arm to his chest. His heart pounded in his chest and he felt dizziness starting to take hold of him.

Everywhere he looked around him people were staring and whispering.  He felt panic creeping in at the edges. He needed to get away. But he wasn’t even really sure where he should go.  Was that bed he’d woken up in his own? And where was his staff? Where had they put his clothes, the herbs he always carried in his pockets, his pouches?  He felt energy rushing through him, it was true; a mage didn’t need their staff to use spells, it was just a convenient focus, but it was something familiar in all this madness.  And everywhere he turned people were staring and pressing their hands to their hearts. Tei felt his own heart racing and his eyes were having trouble focusing.

“Whoa, whoa, easy there, Herald.”  

Tei’s vision swam back to clarity when he felt someone put a hand on his arm, not pulling or pushing, just something bringing him back to himself.  He gasped as he suddenly realized he’d been holding his breath. “Varric.”

“Hey, you remembered.  You doing okay? You’re looking a little pale and... sparky.”  Varric nodded at Tei’s clenched fist which was buzzing with storm magic.  

Tei took a deep breath and eased the magic back, releasing it harmlessly.

“Maybe you’d better come sit down a minute.”  

Tei let Varric guide him into a tent in the middle of Haven and didn’t offer any resistance when Varric had him sit down on the edge of a cot.  

Varric pulled over a chair and sat down across from Tei.  He pulled a flask out of his coat and poured some into a small ceramic mug and passed it to him.

Tei took it and sipped.  He coughed as the liquid burned down his throat and made a shiver move through him, but it helped him gather himself.  “Thank you,” he croaked.

“Hey, no problem.  I didn’t think you really wanted to add ‘A small lightning storm in the middle of Haven’ to your list of accomplishments.”  

Tei shuddered.  “No, not really.  Thanks for noticing.  And helping.”

Varric shrugged it off.  “I’ve been around my fair share of stressed-out mages.  I kind of recognize the signs of imminent meltdowns.”

Tei shook his head.  “Just all the people bowing and kneeling and the--”  He felt his breathing start speeding back up.

“Okay, kid, head between your knees, deep breaths.  Think of... trees or something.” Varric put a hand on Tei’s knee.

Tei closed his eyes and tried to catch his breath.  

“Big leafy trees and... I have no idea what it’s like where you’re from.  So I’m gonna make things up. Lots of elves and those sail wagon things. And um... well, shit.  Elfy things.”

Tei started to chuckle.  “Aravels. That’s the sail wagons.”  He closed his eyes and thought of home.  “Halla braying in the sunlight, the smell of fresh bread in the bake kettle over the coals, bundles of elfroot drying on racks.”    

Varric sat back and waited.  The laughter turned into tears and then to muffled shaking sobs and finally to quiet again.  He passed the kid a handkerchief when he looked ready.

“Ugh, I’m sorry.  I’m not usually this...” he paused and indicated himself.  “This.”

“Cut yourself some slack, you’ve had a rough couple of days.  I’d be a little off too if it were me.” Varric smiled gently.  “Besides, no one saw that. I don’t know what you’re talking about.  We’re just having a friendly drink.”

Tei felt a rush of gratitude for Varric in that moment.  Here they were, sitting in the middle of the most insane events of their lifetime and Varric was good enough to just pretend not to notice him acting like a fool.  He looked down into the mug. “This is good. Thank you.” He had another sip; it still burned, but not as badly, and it made him feel a little less jumpy. “What is it?”

“Antivan brandy.  Warms you up. Just what a body needs in a place like this.”  Varric tapped his flask against Tei’s mug. “What kind of stuff do you drink back home?”

“We have a few different things, but I’m partial to Sourvun. It’s made with apples,”  Tei said. Even saying the word made him think of the crisp fall scent of apples. He and his brother used to forage in the wild apple groves to collect enough for the clan to brew a batch.  “Every season’s flavor is a little different based on what apples we can get and how the season has been.”

“Good drink.  I’d love to try Dalish cider sometime,” Varric said.

“Maybe if this whole mess ends well I can send for some and we can drink it together.”  Tei looked around the tent. “So is this where you live? I mean in Haven?”

Varric chuckled.  “Home sweet crap-tent away from home.  But yes, to answer your question. It mostly serves.  I could probably make noise for somewhere inside, but I find keeping my distance from Cassandra is better for my health and sanity.”  Varric refilled Tei’s mug. “So where are they keeping you, now that they’ve decided you don’t need to be executed?”

Tei gave Varric a perplexed look.  “I’m... not completely certain. I guess in that room where I woke up?  But I can’t find any of my things. I mean, I must have lost my staff in the Fade or at the explosion.  I guess. I suppose I’ll keep using the one I found when the bridge collapsed.” He plucked at his shirt.  “I don’t even know where my  _ clothes _ are.  I’m stuck wearing these weird... human clothes.  They look like something you’d sleep in. If you were some fancy Orlesian person.”  He ran his hand over them. “They feel useless, like they’d tear the second you needed to climb a tree.”

“Not too many Orlesians find the need to climb trees, I’m thinking.”  Varric smiled. “Talk to Harritt. He can get you outfitted with some leathers that’ll work better for you.  I’ve seen some other elves around, so I’m sure he’s had the chance to make things for someone around your size.”

Tei nodded.  “Okay, thanks.  Again.” He looked down into the mug.  “Do you think they’d notice if I just hid in here for the rest of my life?”

“Well, eventually they’d come looking and I think a lifetime in this tent might actually be worse than what’s outside.  But I’m not putting any money on that bet.” Varric patted his knee. “Tell you what though, anytime it gets a little too real out there you just duck in here and I’ll cover you.  I’ll tell the Seeker that I was pretty sure I saw you heading out to the logging site or something.”

Tei chuckled.  “Thanks. I might take you up on that.”

“So, how  _ are  _ you holding up?”

Tei shook his head.  “Well, I’m still on my feet.”  He looked around, realized he was sitting down and smiled wryly.  “Metaphorically anyway. I’m all right. I think.”

Varric gestured with his drink.  “Hows that anchor thing? Does it hurt?  Looks like it should hurt.”

Tei shook his hand, clenching and unclenching his fist experimentally.  “It tingles kinda like when your foot falls asleep. It’s only bad when I’m using it to seal rifts.  Then my whole arm is  _ on fire _ .  It’s overwhelming.  Kind of makes me want to jump into that frozen lake down there.”

“That sounds pretty terrible.”  Varric took a drink. “Sorry about that.”

Tei sipped his own drink.  “Thanks. Hopefully it’ll all go away once we close that big one.  If we can close that big one.” Tei blew out a breath that fluffed his bangs.  “No pressure, right?”

Varric chuckled.  “None at all.” He toasted with his glass.  “Here’s to an easy time and many more drinks after this shit is sorted.”

“I’ll drink to that.”  Tei touched his mug to Varric’s.  He tossed back the rest of his drink.  “I should probably... go check in with Cassandra.  I’m sure there’s something I’m meant to be doing.”

“Go for it.”  Varric took the mug when Tei handed it back.  “Offer stands, swing by any time.”

Tei stood up.  “Thanks, Varric.”

 

\---

 

Several days later after a chat with Mother Giselle at the Crossroads in the Hinterlands, Tei found himself facing down a bunch of demons at a Fade Rift.  Cassandra had charged into the midst of them without hesitating, slamming them back with her shield while Solas cast a barrier over them and Varric started plugging them with crossbow bolts.

Tei hesitated for only a moment and then tore his left glove off and hoped that he’d be able to figure this thing out again.  Turns out it was sort of instinctual. The mark started pulsating and the tingling started shaking up and down his arm. Tei inhaled sharply and braced himself for the snapping sensation of a partially closed rift.  It took a couple of waves of demons for the rift to close all the way. 

The final snap as the rift closed knocked Tei backwards.  He stumbled back and tripped over a rock. He fell on his ass, clutching his arm across his chest.  He clenched his fist tightly closed around the mark. 

“Hey, Chuckles, I need an ice spell over here!”  Varric jogged over with a thick wool blanket.

Solas looked perplexed but cast onto the blanket.  

Varric grabbed Tei’s arm and wrapped the ice-spelled blanket around it.  

Tei gasped at the sudden cold, stiffening up.  But after just a few moments the terrible stinging tingle faded.  He looked down at the blanket, steaming now as the ice began to evaporate in the warmth of the midday sun.  “Mythal'enaste, thank you.” He pressed a hand over the blanket at his shoulder. 

Varric grinned.  “Helped? I remembered what you said about wanting to jump in the lake.  Figured a little cold pack might help. And Chuckles over here is as good as an instant ice machine, so maybe we can help you out with that.”

Tei smiled gratefully.  “Thank you.” He looked between Varric and Solas.

Solas only nodded with a small smile.  

“That was surprisingly creative, Varric,”  Cassandra admitted gruffly as she cleaned her sword.

“That was almost a compliment, Seeker.  Be careful, people might start thinking you appreciate them.”  Varric teased.

Tei smiled at the easy banter.  His arm had almost completely stopped tingling.  He unwound the blanket and passed it back to Varric.  “That made the whole thing almost not entirely awful. Thanks again.”

Varric laughed.  “That’s me, making things almost not entirely awful.  I might have to add that to my author’s description in my books.  Mind if I use that line, Herald?”

“Please.”  Tei nodded.  He got back to his feet and tugged his glove back on.  “Okay, where to next?”

Cassandra inclined her head towards him.  “That is up to you. Where do you think we should go next?”

Tei grimaced.  “You shouldn’t be letting me choose.  I have no idea what I’m doing. Back to the Free Marches and home would be my pick.”  He shook his head as Cassandra gave him a flat look. “Um... okay... How about we see about catching some rams to help feed those people?  Maybe look for some caches for Recruit Whittle?”

Varric’s expression softened.  He liked what that very kind choice indicated about Tei.  “I’m good with that. Let’s make things less shitty for the refugees.”

Cassandra nodded, gruffly showing her approval.  

Solas looked up the hill towards a ram.  “I’m sure the people here will appreciate the kindness, and it will make them more kindly disposed towards the Inquisition.  A wise and strategic choice, Herald.”

Tei shrugged.  It had been what he would’ve done were he at home.  Taking care of people was default for him. Maybe if he were really lucky, the rest of his choices would be as easy.

Probably not very likely, but as he lifted his staff to send lightning to down on the unlucky ram, he figured it couldn’t hurt to hope.


End file.
